- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 6TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. MURALIDHARA PAI WRIT PETITION NO. 102096 OF 2024 (S-KAT) BETWEEN: THE KARNATAKA UPA – LOKAYUKTA, REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR, M S BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001. … PETITIONER (BY SRI. ANIL KALE, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. SRI. SURESH, S/O. HUCHAPPA KOKARE, AGE: 35 YEARS, OCC: DISTRICT OFFICER, MINORITY WELFARE DEPARTMENT, KOPPAL, R/O: AROGYA BADAVANE, NEAR BAGYA NAGAR CROSS, KOPPAL – 583 231. 2. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, MINORITY WELFARE DEPARTMENT, HAZ WAKF, 2ND FLOOR, VIKAS SOUDHA, BENGALURU – 560 001. 3. THE DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF MINORITIES, VASANT NAGAR, BENGALURU – 560 052. … RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. D. NAGARAJ, ADV. FOR SRI. SOURABH HEGDE, ADVOCATE FOR R1 SRI. SHARAD V. MAGADUM, AGA FOR R2 & R3) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI AND QUASH THE ORDER DATED 23-03-2023 PASSED BY THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, BELAGAVI IN Digitally signed by VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Location: High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench, Dharwad - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024 APPLICATION NO.20594/2022 PRODUCED AT ANNEXURE-A, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY AND ETC., THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. MURALIDHARA PAI ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN) Aggrieved by the order dated 23.03.2023, passed in Application No.20594/2022 by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Tribunal’, for short) at Belagavi, Karnataka Lokayukta – respondent No.3 therein has filed this writ petition. 2. A suo-motu investigation was taken up by the petitioner against respondent No.1 and three others on inspection of Post-Matric Minorities’ Girls Hostel, Dharwad, for certain irregularities committed during the period July 2016 to August 2017. Respondent No.1 was serving as a District Officer for the period 01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017. The allegations - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024 pertain to irregularities in the maintenance of Stock Register in respect of the consumables for the said period. 3. Aggrieved by the action initiated by the petitioner-Karnataka Lokayukta, respondent No.1 preferred an application before the Tribunal. The said application has been allowed and the proceedings against respondent No.1 has been quashed. Aggrieved by the same, the present writ petition is filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta. 4. The case of the petitioner is that, the irregularities in purchase of various consumables are for the period from July 2016 to August 2017 and that the first respondent had assumed charge of District Officer, Minorities Welfare Department, Dharwad, for the period 01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017 and that he his responsible for certain irregularities committed when he was in the Office, and that the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024 Tribunal has allowed the application without considering the said fact. 5. Per contra, counsel for the first respondent justifies the order passed by the Tribunal and prays for dismissal of the writ petition. 6. The petitioner, to justify the proceedings against the first respondent, has relied upon the Articles of Charge issued to the first respondent and other persons, who were said to be in-charge of the hostel during the relevant period. However, the Articles of Charge alleging irregularities in procurement of utilization of certain consumables does not pertain to the period from 01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017, the period during which the first respondent served as District Officer of the Minorities Welfare Department, Dharwad. 7. As the irregularities found by the Upa-Lokayukta in its investigation does not pertain to - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024 the period during which the first respondent served as District Officer of the Minorities Welfare, Dharwad District, we do not see any merit in the writ petition. For the said reasons, writ petition is hereby dismissed. In view of dismissal of the petition, pending I.As., if any, stand disposed of as not surviving for consideration. Sd/- (M.I.ARUN) JUDGE Sd/- (B. MURALIDHARA PAI) JUDGE KMS / CT:ASC List No.: 1 Sl No.: 7